Pinking machine



April 23, 1968 o. L. KRAMER 3,379,599

PINKING MACHINE ATTORNEYJ Apil 23, i969 O, L, KRAMER 3,379,599

PINKING MACHINE 5 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 15, 1965 ln f ATTORNEY;

April 23, 1968 o. L.. KRAMER 3,379,599

PINKING MACHINE .med oct. 1s, 1965 s sheets-sheet s ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,379,599 PINKING MACHINE Otto L. Kramer, 2491 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach, Calif. 90254 Filed Oct. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 495,388 10 Claims. (Cl. 156-510) This invention relates to cutting machines generally known as pinking machines for providing serrated, scalloped and like edges to lengths of textile and other fabrics. The lengths may be cut up into sections to provide samples of the fabrics, known as swatch. The swatch is generally handled quite often and, if incorporated in a sarnple book, the free edges of the swatch, become frayed, curled and soiled. Particularly, if the fabric is a woven textile, it tends to unravel at the edges. Piuking the edge portions prevents unravelling to some extent. Unravelling is substantially eliminated if an edging reinforcing is provided. Such reinforcing also substantially eliminates curling and provides a satisfactory finger-gripping surface while examining the swatch.

Important objects of this invention are to provide a machine which will place a length of material such as, for example, a tape of cloth, paper, or the like, coated with a sensitive-to-pressure adhesive, in juxtaposition with a second length of material such as textile fabric, for example, and, while causing the two lengths of materials to units, simultaneously pinks them, the machine being of compact build, adjustable as to thickness of fabrics, readily operable by relatively unskilled labor, inexpensive to operate and maintain and which may be built at a cost so that it may be sold to even small concerns which require pinked materials, such as swatches in small lots but at short notice. However, the machine of the invention may be operated continuously day after day for supplying pinked materials.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide for automatic retraction to an out-of-the-way position of the unused length of the reinforcing materials added to the textile or like fabric. As stated above, such reinforcing materials may be a exible tape containing a sensitive-to-pressure adhesive coating and, if not retracted as stated, would be apt to adhere accidently to objects, become soiled, and the like. Retraction of the tape also permits the machine to furnish, if required, simple unreinforced pinking. In addition, various thicknesses of material to be pinked are accommodated, since the machine contains adjustment means for that purpose. The machine also provides for unimpeded movements of the materials so that bunchiug, puckering and the like of the materials will not take place.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course ofthe following detailed description of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the pinking machine of this invention with a portion of the structure broken away in order to reveal parts beneath.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof with portions of the machine shown in raised positions (in dot-and-dash lines) and portions broken away in order to reveal structure therebeyond.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, more particularly relating to the tape supply and tape retracting means thereof.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view, substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional views, substantially on their respective lines of FIG. 1, and illustrating adjustment means of the machine.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are fragmentary vertical sectional views, substantially on their respective lines of FIG. 6, showing pinking means of the machine.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, substantially on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8, and related to FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of a fragment of the united pinked materials produced by the machine of the invention, with one edge portion of the materials having been pinked.

FIG. 1l is a fragmentary bottom plan View of a portion of material with more than one edge pinked.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally designates the pinking machine; B, one material to be pinked; C and D materials to be united to the material B for pinking therewith, and E and F the united and pinked materials produced by the machine A.

The machine A preferably comprises a base member 15, with a rst housing 16 mounted on a portion thereof and a housing assembly 17 mounted on another portion thereof, support means 18 for the materials C and D, carried by the rst housing 16; rotatable means 19 for advancing the materials C and D and rotatable pinking means 20 both rotatably supported by the housing assembly 17, extending outwardly thereof and disposed within the rst housing 16; retracting means 21 for retracting the materials C and D, and carried by the rst housing 16; anvil means 22 and holddown means 23 rotatably carried by the housing assembly 17 and extending outwardly thereof above the means 19 and 20 respectively; adjustable tension and guard means 24 for the holddown means 23; power means 25 for rotating the means 19 and 20; anvil tension adjusting means 26; closure holddown and anvil pressure applying means 27; material guide means 28; and material severing means 29.

The base member 15 (FIG. 2) may be a substantially flat support of metal, wood, hardened plastic or the like, providing means for the support of the remaining portions of the machine A.

Mounted upon the base member 15 is a housing 16 consisting of a lower portion 30 having a bottom wall 31 and an upstandng front wall 32. The housing 16 also includes an upper or closure portion 33, preferably comprising top wall 34, outwardly convex front and rear walls and 36 respectively, a side wall 37 joining the walls 34 and 35, and opposite partial side walls 38 and 39, the partial wall 38 joining the front wall 35 intermediate the ends of the latter, and the partial wall 39 joining the rear wall 36, with a space 40 between the free ends of the partial walls for clearance of the support means 18. The partial side wall 38 being -in the nature of a bracket depending from the top wall 34. The lower and upper portions 30 and 33 define a compartment 41.

The rst housing 16 may be secured to the base member 15 as by screws 42, the Shanks of which extend through suitable perforations in the bottom wall 31 and into the material of the base member. The upper or cover portion 33 may be hinged to the lower portion 30 as by hinge means 43 which may comprise rigid lugs extending upwardly from the bottom wall 31 receiving pivots extending through the rear end portions of the walls 37 'and 39, so that the upper or closure portion may swing into the open position as shown in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. l.

Closure fastener means 44 may be provided for detachably securing the upper or closure portion 33 to the lower portion 30 and comprise a set screw with a portion of its screw threaded shank carried in a screw threaded socket in the front wall 35, having another portion of its shank adapted to extend into a slot in the front wall 35 and having the shoulder portion for bearing against the outer face of the wall 32, when the set screw is tightened.

The top wall 34 is provided with two preferably rectangular openings, one being the narrow opening 48 in the form of a slot (FIG. 3) for the accommodation of the portions of the members C and D, and the other being a larger opening 46 rearwardly of the openings 45 (FIGS. 6 and 8) for peripheral portions of the means 20, 22 and 23 and a portion of the means 21. Since the narrow opening is adapted to accommodate only the materials C and D, it is shorter than the opening 46 which accommodates peripheries of the means 20, 22 and 23 (as well as a portion of the means 21), the holddown means 23 also bearing upon the material B as will be later described.

Extending upwardly from the edge portion of the top wall 34 is an elongate flange 48 which provides guide means for the material B as it is moved longitudinally over the upper face of the horizontally-disposed top wall 34. This flange is provided with a cutout intermediate its ends (FIG. 2) for accommodation of a crankshaft 88 of the anvil tension adjusting means 26, when the closure of the second housing 17 is disposed substantially horizontally.

The housing assembly 17 is disposed rearwardly of the horizontal plane of the iirst housing 16 as may be seen in FIG. 1, with the forward end portion 50 disposed rearwardly enough to enable the operator of the machine to see the roll of materials C and D and to replenish it when necessary. The housing assembly 17 may comprise a plurality of castings, comprising the forward end portion 50 which is preferably a hollow housing or post supporting the means 27 (FIGS. 1 and 5), the post having three upwardly-extending walls and a top wall 51 but preferably opening to face the outer face of the partial side wall or bracket 38. When the upper or closure portion 33 is swung to an open position (dotand-dash line showing in FIG. l), access may be had to adjust or repair the portions of the means 27 within the hollow post, this means being subsequently described.

Rearwardly of the forward end portion 50 is a housing portion 52 which contains a conventional speed reduction means (not shown) of the power means 24 (in the example shown), a conventional electric motor which is contained in the housing portion 53 rearwardly of the portion 52. Swingably supported by a pair of upwardlyextending spaced-apart brackets 54 is a hood or cover 55 which is adapted to cover the housing portions 52 and 53 and carries the means 26 to be later described.

The brackets 54 extend rigidly upwardly from, preferably, a continuation of the bottom wall 31 which also rigidly supports the housing portions 50, 52 and 53. `Extending downwardly from the free end portion of the hood 55 are a pair of bearings 56 to rotatably support a shaft 8.

Referring to the support means 18 for the support of the materials C and D (or the material C), the same is illustrated especially in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, and includes a preferably hollow rigid spindle 6i) extending outwardly from and secured to the outer face of the partial side wall 38. The outer periphery of the spindle is adapted to receive a supply of the materials C and D or the like. In the example shown the material C may be an elongate relatively narrow strip or tape of stout paper, cloth, pliable hardened plastic, resilient rubber and the like coated on one face or associated with a coating C of preferably sensitive-to-pressure adhesive although the material C may be such that the material C will be caused to adhere, with the instrumentality of the material D, to the material B as will be later described, although the material C may be wound upon a suitable core, as is well known in the art of sensitive-to-pressure adhesive tapes and ribbons. Removably closing the mouth of the spindle may be a cap 61 which has a greatest diameter greater than the outer diameter of the spindle, and is provided with a suitable number of springy tongues 62 .4 adapted to frictionally engage the inner periphery of the spindle to retain the cap 61 in place. A handhold 63 may be provided for grasping in order to remove or replace the cap.

The rotatable means 19 to advance the materials B, C and D is best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and preferably comprises a roller 65 having a friction surfaced periphery 66, preferably knurled, adapted to receive the members B, Cand D and advance them in synchronism with the pinking operation. This roller 65 is iixedly mounted upon the output shaft 116 of the reduction gearing mechanism 115 and, consequently operatively connected with the power means 25, as will be later described. Of course this roller is within a part of the vertical plane of the spindle 6G but spaced from the spindle.

FIGS. 7 and 8 also disclose the preferred pinking means 20, consisting of a roller 70 having a zig-zag cutting periphery 71 and the roller 70 is also xedly moutned on the output shaft 116 (FIG. 7) next adjacent the roller 65. The greatest peripheral diameters of the two rollers are substantially the same.

The retracting means 21 for retraction of the unwound length of materials C and D so that they will not become accidently adhesively attached to any objects while the machine A is not in use, is best shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, and include a spring-biased arm 75, pivoted at one end portion 76 as ,by pivot element 77 to the partial side wall 38 and biased as by the retraction coil spring 78 having one end portion attached to the other end portion 79 of the arm 75 and its other end portion attached to the wall 38 with the spring under some tension. A stop 80 for the arm is provided, which stop may be a lug extending from and secured to the wall 38 in the path of travel of the arm 75 as may be appreciated from FIG. 3.

This end portion 79 of the arm 75 rotatably carries a retraction roller 81 with a ange 82 at its outer free end so that the length of materials C and D from the roller 70, may be payed over the periphery of the roller 81 and prevented from moving laterally off the roller by the flange 82. Since the material D contacts the periphery of the retraction roller it has a slight tendency to frictionally grip the roller in a slight way.

The anvil means 22 (FIGS. 6, 8 and 9) comprises a ball-bearing roller 85, having an outer material-contacting periphery 86 (to contact the material B with the materials C and D beneath the material B), whereby the cutting edge 71 of the pinking roller 70 will cut through the materials B, C and D to the periphery 86.

The anvil adjusting means 26 provided for the roller is mounted on an eccentric portion 87 of a crank shaft 88 so that, upon manipulation of a handle 89 attached to the crank shaft 88 and in ready poistion for the hand of an operator, the ball-bearing roller 85 will positively press against the materials B, C and D to effect pinking thereof =by the pinking means 20. The crankshaft 88 is rotatably supported by the hood 55 at the free end portion thereof, being carried by the bearings 56 of the hood.

The relative positions of the eccentric portion 87 of the crankshaft 88 with respect to the handle 89 is such that, when the handle 89 is in the full-line position as in FIG. 2, the eccentric portion 87 will be lowermost and the pressure upon the materials B, C, and D will be greatest. As the handle 89 is pulled upwardly to a desired degree, the pressure will be lessened as required in order to sever the materials B, C and D for pinking.

The holddown means 23 (FIGS. `6 and 8) comprises preferably a ball-bearing roller 90 having an outer material-contacting periphery 91 to contact the material B disposed upon the peripheral friction surface 66 of the roller 65 with a longitudinal edge portion of the materials C and D beneath. The roller 90 is mounted on a portion of the combined adjustable tension and guard means 24 next to be described.

FIGS. 1, 6 and 8 show the combined adjustable tension and guard means 24. This means is constructed and arranged to enable the operator to adjust the degree of pressure of the roller 90 upon the materials B, C and D while the materials are on the periphery 66 of the friction roller 65, and to guard the hands of the operator of the machine A accidently coming into contact with the rollers 85 and 90 to impede their movements. The means 24 includes a spring plate 95 secured to the hood 55 as at 96 and 97 (FIG. 1) for example, upon which is mounted a bracket portion 98 of an arcuate guard plate 99 which latter extends over the rollers 85 and 90 and has a downturned or depending flange 100 (FIG. 8) which supports a spindle 101, secured to the flange by any suitable means such as the screw 102. It is upon this spindle that the roller 90 rotates. So that the spring plate 95 and the structure carried -thereby may be raised or lowered, I provide the set screw 103 which has its shank extending, in screw threaded engagement, through the plate 95 and bracket 99 and with its free end adapted to engage the bearing 56 therebeneath (FIG. 8). The head of the set-screw 103 may be manipulated in order to raise or lower the free end portion of the spring plate 95 as is believed now clear. Such raising or lowering will cause up or down adjustment of the roller 90 and thus change the degree of pressure upon the materials B, C and D by that roller. An expansion coil spring 104, encircling the protruding upper portion of the shank of the set screw, tends to prevent accidental rotation of the setscrew due to vibrations and the like. Supplementing the means 24 is a set screw 106 which is carried by the bracket portion 94 and may bear upon the periphery of the anvil roller 85 when the high portion of that roller is nearest the inner face of the guard plate 99, so as to resist accidental swinging of the handle 89.

The power means 25 may be a conventional electric motor housed in the housing 53 with power lines conductors) 110 and 111 (FIG. 2), with a conventional electric switch 112 interposed in the lines. The motoris operatively connected, as is well known in the art, with speed reduction gearing 113, the output shaft of which is shown in FIG. 7 at 116. This shaft mounts the rollers 65 and 70.

Referring now to the combined means 27 for hood holddown and ma-terial-engaging means for the anvil, the same is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. This means is adapted (1) to releasably retain the hood or closure 55 in a down or closed position, and (2) to present the anvil of the means 22 in working engagement with the pinking roller 70 and the materials B, C and D, when the hood or closure 55 is in its down or closed position. The combined means 27 is mounted on the hollow post or forward end portion 50 and includes a vertically reciprocating rod 120 which slidably extends above and below the top wall 51 of the post 50, through a suitable opening 121, and is biased, below the top wall by an expansion coil spring 122 which bears, at one end thereof, upon the lower face of the top wall and bears, at the other end thereof, upon a suitable enlargement as an adjusting nut assembly 123, since the lower end portion of the rod is suitably screw threaded to accommodate the nut assembly. Above the top wall 51 is horizontally-disposed ball bearing race structure 124, surrounding the rod 120, and above the latter is a latch member 125 xedly carried at the upper end portion of the rod and provided with a handle 126. The bill 127 of the latch member 125 is adapted to closely engage the upper face of the hood or closure 55 so that the hood is firmly in a closed position, insured against vibrations and the anvil means is in operating position. FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 illustrate the handle 126 in position to cause tight closure of the hood. To release the handle 126, the operator moves it toward the right in FIG. 1.

The material guide means 28 is best shown in FIGS. 1, 6, 7 and 8. The same is construced and arranged to guide the materials B, C, and D in a proper path after pinkings and prevent them from bunching up during the pinking operation. This means preferably comprises two elongate members 130 and 131 which may be wires, each secured at one end to the top wall 34 of the upper cover portion 33 at spaced apart locations beyond the pinking roller 70, and extending over the top wall 34 toward the pinking roller, then in the two spaces to either side of the pinking roller (and, of course, across the vertical plane of the side edges of the larger opening 47) and then descend to under the top wall 51 to which they may be secured as by welds or solder. The materials B, C and D will ride over lthese wires as the materials advance.

Material severing means 29 is provided to sever the materials C and D so that the unused portions of the materials may be retracted as has been described in connection with the retracting means 21. This means 29 (FIG. l) may-comprise a bracket 135, extending outwardly from the elongated upwardly-extending flange 48 and releasably supporting a blade 136 preferably at an angle other than a right angle with the sharp edge 137 of the blade 136 facing downwardly. The blade may be resiliently retained by the bracket or secured thereto as by bolt and nut assemblies 138. The materials C and D may be manually moved to the blade edge for severing the materials.

The compartment 41 formed by the lower and upper housing portions 30 and 33 may be employed to contain supplies used in connection with the operations of the machine A.

In the operation of the machine A, with the hood 35 raised to the dot-and-dash position shown in FIG. 1, and the handle 126 in position so that the bill 127 of the latch member 125 facing the flange 4S, the operator need but mount a roll of the materials C and D on the spindle 60, placing the cap 61 in position, then pay the material over the under surface of the roller -65 and from thence upwardly and fed through the slot 46 to the upper face of the top wall 51, whereupon the materials may be carried over the opening 47 and temporarily held in place against the upper face of the wall 51. The upstanding flange 48 will provide a guide by contacting one edge of the strip of materials C and D. The operator will then position a length of the material B (which may be cloth fabric, for example) over the strip and also with an edge of the fabric engaging the flange 48, the operator will close the hood 55 (i.e., lower it to a horizontal position) whereupon the rollers and 85 will engage the materials B, C and D as the operator latches the hood in place by moving the handle 126 to the position shown in FIG. 5. The operator then moves the handle 89 downwardly to substantially the position shown in full lines in FIG. 2, and starts the machine in operation by closing the switch 112. The materials B, C and D will be automatically advanced and, the materials C and D united with the material B and all will be pinked in a single operation, as is obvious from FIGS. 8 and l0 and the foregoing description of the machine A. In FIG. 10 the discarded portion is indicated by the dot-and-dash lines.

In practical operations of the machine, after a lengthy section of fabric is provided with reinforced pinking along one longitudinal edge, it may be provided with reinforced pinking along the other longitudinal edge, then cut by any satisfactory means into a plurality of swatches and their unpinked edges provided by the machine with reinforced pinking or, if the swatches are assembled as in my U.S. Patent No. 2,786,281, dated Mar. 26, 1957, for Binder for Textile Swatch, No. 2,904,900, dated Sept. 22, 1959 for Detachable Connecting Means Between a Textile Swatch and a Post Binder, and No. 2,977,690, dated Apr. 4, 1961 for Binder Header for Textile Swatch, the swatches will liave one edge portion not pinked but they will be secured together at the unpinked edge portions. If it is desired to provide unreinforced pinking along an edge portion of fabric, the strip of materials C and D will remain wholly below the top wall 51, or removed wholly from the machine A.

Various changes may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A pinking machine for pinking lengths of materials, said machine including walls deiining a housing and a compartment, said walls including a top wall having an aperture therein, said top wall providing a slideway 4for one of said lengths movably extending over said aperture; support means carried by said housing for supporting a second of said lengths; rotatable pinking means within and carried by said housing below said aperture; rotatable ad- Vance means carried by said housing for advancing said second length over said top wall and said aperture and immediately below said one of said lengths upon said top wall; means extending into said compartment to rotate said rotatable means in synchronism; and anvil means disposed over said aperture for pressing said one and said second lengths together and against said pinking means to pink both lengths simultaneously.

2. A pinking machine according to claim 1 characterized in that retraction means is provided, carried by said housing, to retract unpinked portions of said second length to below said top wall.

3. A pinking machine according to claim 1 characterized in that said top wall is provided with a second aperture and a portion of said second length is constructed and arranged to extend `from said support means through said aperture and over said top wall for pinking, and said second aperture is between the rst-named aperture and said support means.

4. A pinking machine according to claim 1 characterized in that retraction means is provided, carried by said housing, to retract unpinked portions of said second length to below said top Wall and said top Wall is provided with a second aperture and a portion of said second length is constructed and arranged to extend from said support means through said aperture and over said top wall for pinking, and said second aperture is between the firstnamed aperture and said support means.

5. A pinking machine according to claim 1 characterized in that pressure means is provided disposed over said aperture and next adjacent said anvil means for additionally pressing said lengths against said rotatable advance means.

6. A pinking machine according to claim 5 characterized in that said pressure means and anvil means include rollers, and said machine includes a hood rotatably supporting said rollers.

7.` A pinking machine for pressing a length from a roll of sensitive-,to-pressure adhesive tape against a length of fabric and simultaneously pinking both lengths, said machine including walls deiining a housing and a compartment therein, said walls including a top wall having an upwardly-extending guide flange, a rst aperture and a second aperture both extending to said guide flange, and said top wall providing a slideway for length of said fabric disposed thereon; support means carried by said housing for rotataly supporting said roll beneath said top wall, the walls of said first aperture being constructed and arranged to slidably receive a length of said tape from said roll threaded therethrough and extending over said top wall and said second aperture; rotatable pinking means within said compartment and carried by said housing and disposed below said second aperture; rotatable advance means within said compartment, carried by said housing and next adjacent said pinking means at said second aperture for advancing said length of sensitive-topressure adhesive tape through said first aperture, over said top wall and under said length of fabric upon said top wall; and anvil means immediately above said pinking means for pressingly adhering said length of tape to said length of fabric and for being contacted by said pinking means upon pinking both said length of adhesive tape and fabric between said pinkingmeans and anvil means.

8. A pinking machine according to claim 7 characterized in that pressure means is provided disposed over said aperture and next adjacent said anvil means for additionally pressing said lengths against said rotatable advance means.

9. A pinking machine according to claim 7 characterized in that said pressure means and anvil means include rollers, and said machine includes a hood rotatably supporting said rollers.

10. A pinking machine according to claim 7 characterized in that there is provided tape cut-off means carried by said housing above said top Wall; and remote from said apertures; and tape-retracting means carried by said housing for retracting unused tape after being -cut oi by said cut-off means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DOUGLAS I. DRUMMOND, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PINKING MACHING FOR PINKING LENGTHS OF MATERIALS, SAID MACHINE INCLUDING WALLS DEFINING A HOUSING AND A COMPARTMENT, SAID WALLS INCLUDINGA TOP WALL HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN, SAID TOP WALL PROVIDING A SLIDEWAY FOR ONE OF SAID LENGTHS MOVABLE EXTENDING OVER SAID APERTRE; SUPPORT MEANS CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING FOR SUPPORTING A SECOND OF SAID LENGTHS; ROTATABLE PINKING MEANS WITHIN AND CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING BELOW SAID APERTUE; ROTATABLE ADVANCE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING FOR ADVANCING SAID SECOND LENGTH OVER SAID TOP WALL AND SAID APERATURE AND IMMEDIATELY BELOW SAID ONE OF SAIL LENGTHS UPON SAID TOP WALL; MEANS EXTENDING INTO SAID COMPARTMENT TO ROTATE SAID ROTATABLE MANS IN SYNCHRONISM; AND ANVIL MEANS DISPOSED OVER SAID APERTURE FOR PRESSING SAID ONE AND SAID SECOND LENGTHS TOGETHER AND AGAINST SAID PINKING MEANS TO PINK BOTH LENGTHS SIMULTANEOUSLY. 